Variance betw. data displayed in schedule and pulled from server

[djoliver1]

Hi friends:
Does anyone have any idea how data pulled from the Actual Work field of a schedule published to Project Server can be different from data displayed in the Actual Work field for that same schedule. I am testing an in-house reporting application which pulls data from the Project Server database and creates a report in MS Word. However, the Actual Work, Remaining Work and % Work Complete data displayed in the report is not exactly the same as what is displayed in the published schedule. The numbers displayed in the schedule are higher than those displayed in the report. My question: Is it possible to save data to project server without publishing it? In other words, is project data stored in two places: a pre-published database and a published database? Where could I find out more about how and where Project stores data on Project Server? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[PDQBach]

I'm not really a proj server guy ... but ...

1. Data is kept in two places -- one set of tables/views is optimized for Project Pro and the other for PWA. You can find the tables here: PJDB.HTM and PJSVRDB.HTM which are both on the Project Server CD.

2. In P2003 Server, you cannot save without publishing.

 

[djoliver1]

Thanks PDQ. Could it be that saving a schedule updates the Project Pro tables and publishing updates the PWA tables? It was my understanding that you can create and save new assignments, but that resources don't get notified of these until you publish them. That would indicate the relationship and the communication betweeen Project Pro and PWA. But that would also suggest that there is a difference between saving and publishing.

In any case, what I am talking about is a disrepancy between two outputs that are both Project Pro related: 1. what Project Pro displays as Outline Level 0 Actual Work for schedule A vs. 2. what a report displays as Outline Level 0 Actual Work for that same schedule. I don't understand how these two numbers could ever be different, but I've seen them up to 1,000 hours different on a 20,000 hour schedule. (13,000 in Project Pro and 12,000 on the report). I'm trying to understand what in the save process could allow for these two data values at the same time. I've been searching through Microsoft Project 2003 Inside Out, but can't find any information that is helpful on this topic. I also searched through the MS Project SDK without any luck. Any other suggestions on where to look?

 

[PDQBach]

what a report displays" - which report?

(As I say, I'm not really a prjserver guy -- I hope somebody else can help out here.)

 

[djoliver1]

I'm not trying to bother you about this anymore, PDQ, but I was able to find the following information in MS Project 2003 Inside Out. It may be helpful to someone reading these threads for information. Unfortunately, that source didn't go any further into it. If anyone knows another source that does go deeper, I'd appreciate knowing about it.

"Saving vs. Publishing Project Data"
Here’s a description of the interaction between the three Microsoft Project components in a little more detail: (MSP Inside Out p 570)
1 Project data saved to the project server using Project Professional is saved to Project Tables in a certain area of the Project Server database. This is the only area of the database with which Project Professional reads or writes, and it is not used by Project Web Access.
2 When projects are published (rather than simply saved), a command is sent to the project server to process the data about the project held in the Project Tables. These data are saved in a separate part of the database: in the Views Tables. The Views Tables are accessed by Project Web Access when users view project, resource, or assignment information using their browsers.
3 Both Project Server and Project Web Access use XML to pass data. In addition, Project Web Access uses HTML and ASP to present that data and build interactive features. Other technologies, such as ActiveX controls, contribute to the capabilities of the Project Web Access interface.
When you change data in your project plan, it’s changed in the Project Tables area of the Project Server database. When you publish the information to Project Server, relevant data are parsed into XML formats, read into the Project Server database, and then saved to the Views Tables in the Project Server database—where it is converted back from XML into HTML-rendered text (see Figure 20-1). All this in a blink of an eye (or as many blinks as determined by your network configuration and database size).